The Grenada gazette. (Grenada, Miss.) 1885-18??, 1887-03-19

these prellmlnarleS ne cuiPlicu ny
pockets of the loose silver in them.
lis that all, senorP" he asked. in
deep disgust.
Gan l have," I answered.
1.-THE has my sympathy said
the rascal. with a vicious grin. "But
the mule is something
The robber turned my steed to the
right about and jumped into the saddle.
Let the senior be patient he said
as he rode off. Some traveller will re-
lease him. and it is not far to San
Pablo. Give Francisco's compliments
to the alcaldc. Adios, senior, adios!'
And waving his hand, he disappeared
around a bend in the road.
So this was the noted h~ighwayman,
Francisco, for whose head the Cover
nor had offered q heavy reward:
There was consolation in the thought.
No one would blame me for surrender
ing to u daredevil who was considered
a match for any three men in lucatan.
But my train of thought was soon
interrupted in y pleasant manner.
Francisco had been gone perhaps a
quarter of IN hour when a m%uleteer
made his appearance leading his little
burro along the narrow path. H ailing
the stranger, l induced him to cut my
bonds and release me. The muleteer
told me that | escaped lightly. He
gave Francisco a very black character.
'If this place had not been in sight
of San Pablo said he. 1.-THE cut-throat
would have killed you.'
The next morning the little town of
San Pablo was in a state of eruption.
Men, women and children rushed pell-
nell through the streets uttering wild
wells. looked out of the window sew
eral times, but could not make up my
mind whether it was q revolution or a
holiday.
l threw myself on the bed and tried
to get into a doze, and was succeeding
when the alcalde rushed into my room
with a bevy of his retainers and pulled
me into a sitting posture.
1.-The senor's commands have been
obcyed," said the alcalde, excitedly.
1.-The dog of a bandit has been arrest
ed, and will be tried before me at once.
But we need the senor's testimony.
Without the senior we al do nothing
1t took me almost no time to dress
and accompany the little brown alcalac
and his browner alguazils to the pre-
tentious stone editice on the plaza
called the palace of justice.
l had never seen a criminal trial in a
Mexican court, and every thing was
new to me. The alcalde presided with
dignity. He was assisted by a prose-
cutting officer, and several advocates,
as they call their lawyers, were also on
hand. The courtroom was filled with
a crowd Of eager spectators, all talk
ing, swearing and shaking their fists
at the prisoner. The robber, Francisco,
was the most unconcerned looking
man in the crowd. Surrounded by
.alguazils, he was not handcuffed, and
when he saw me he smiled and made
me a polite bow.
The proceedings dragged all through
weary day. My limited knowledge
Of the language made it impossible for
me to follow every thing that was said,
but l understand that an effort was
being made to prove an alibi. Three
men, with rather honest faces, swore
at six o'clock on the previous
evening they had imbibed pulque with
at n little village twenty
miles west of San Pablo. If they told
truth, of course my robber could
not have been Francisco.
1t irritated me to see so much impor-
lance attached to the alibi and to my
case, because l had been led to believe
that the prisoner would be held any
how. as he was wantcdf for other crimes, !
and Il big reward had been offered for
was told, however. that in Yu-
Il prisoner, when he demands a
trial. must be tried or released inside
Of twelve hours. In ordc. to hold him,
therefore. the San Pablo authorities
had to make the most of my evidence.
The alibi business worried the old
not II little. The three wit
who wore to meeting Francisco
on the afternoon before wero reputable
men. On the other hand. 1 was a
stranger and an American. Several
times during the day ! was recalled to
the stand and examined and cross-ex-
amined. The utmost courtesy charac-
terized the examination. but it had a
latitude that would not have been per-
mitted in an American court. Ere
Qucntly a spectator would interrupt
with a question or make a suggestion
to the alcalde. Once francisco re-
marked that he was tired and would
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